Novack Has Eye On No. 1

November 12, 1986|By JEFF BROWNE, Staff Writer

CORAL SPRINGS -- Taravella High School junior Matt Novack has had a great opportunity this fall to study the style of Boyd Anderson`s Mike LeValle, one of the best cross country runners in state history.

The only problem for Novack is that he`s been able to watch LeValle only from behind. The Cobra senior often beats his nearest opponents by nearly a minute.

As a result of LeValle`s dominance the past two years, the county`s other runners get very little recognition, no matter how well they may have fared in other years.

If it weren`t for LeValle, Novack might be as well known as his brother Chris, now a junior on the University of Miami team. Despite that fact, Novack doesn`t consider himself in the right place at the wrong time. He thinks he can beat LeValle.

``That`s pretty much my goal,`` Novack said, ``to beat LeValle. I think I can do it. There`s not much extra I can do right now, though. It`s just a matter of putting everything together and running a perfect race.``

So far, Novack hasn`t been able to put together that perfect race. He finished fifth at the Broward County Invitational two weeks ago at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. LeValle was first.

At the District 7-4A meet last weekend at Tradewinds, Novack finished second to qualify for the Region 4-4A meet Saturday in Opa-locka, one minute, eight seconds behind LeValle. Again in Opa-locka, Novack will be looking to beat LeValle.

A typical race for Novack begins with he and LeValle bunched together in the pack. Within seconds, the top runners sprint out ahead of the rest of the field. If Novack and the other contenders don`t watch out, it could be a matter of just a few more seconds before LeValle is out of their reach.

``I can always see him for a while,`` Novack said. ``But he takes off so fast and then he cruises. I just can`t keep up.``

Novack`s best time this year was a 15:49 at the John I. Leonard Invitational at John Prince Park in Lake Worth less than a month ago. Even with that best time, he would have been 47 seconds behind LeValle at the district meet.

One runner who has pressured LeValle on occasion is Micah Gardner of Cardinal Gibbons. Gardner, however, is in Class 3A and won`t have to worry about LeValle the rest of the season. The same holds true for Richard Willis of Fort Lauderdale and the South Broward team.

Novack will have to wait until next year, though, to put thoughts of LeValle behind. Next season Novack hopes he can be the runner everyone else is chasing in the big meets. After that, Novack wants to got to Miami and emulate his brother on the Hurricane cross country team.

``I`ve always wanted to follow in my brother`s footsteps,`` Matt said. ``It`s hard to say where I might go, though. Miami would be nice, but I have a whole year left to decide.``

Matt began running as a grade school student. At the time, his brother Joe was learning to run cross country as a member of the Coral Springs High School team. The family had moved to Florida from Parsippany, N.J.

Later, Matt`s father, Chris and then Matt started to run. Last year, as a sophomore, Matt sat out the cross country season with shin splints. He returned to run track in the spring and recorded a 4:39 mile and qualified for the regional meet.

This year, Novack`s most proud of the improvement the Trojan team made after finishing 1-7 in duals last year. This year, with Novack and captain Scott Reynolds as teams leaders, Taravella was 6-2 in dual meets.

His biggest thrill this fall was beating rival Coral Springs by one point in a dual just three weeks ago. He beat the top Coral Springs runner by one second to assure the Trojan victory.

``If I could just do the same with LeValle,`` he said. ``That would be the best.``